Posted by Paolo Brandimarte-2 on
URL: https://www.shado-forum.com/Obsessed-fan-tp1508836p1508850.html


>
>Dear Paolo,
>
>sorry that I used the term "big fan" to refer to me. You are the truly
>big fan, not I.
>
>Cheers,
>Enzo (from Belgium)

Oh, well.... I guess the little debate grew out of a
misunderstanding. Enzo lives in Belgium, so it would have been really
difficult for him to attend our conventions :-)

I remember when I was where Enzo is, a while ago (the awakening...).
After receiving an old Italian VHS of a compilation movie as a
Christmas present, I started digging the web, and I found Marc's
site. On his page about collecting, I found Paolo Malaguti's phone
number; I called him, thinking that I was a big fan and that all UFO
was about was three Dinky models and Panini trading cards! But after
one month, I was at a dinner, sitting in front of Ed Bishop. It was
in Milan, after a widely popular TV program about the 70s. I risked
my life to get there from my city, because fog around Milan can be
incredible in January, but I discovered a truly new dimension.

I believe that Enzo is starting the same kind of trip... so beware!
Once you get the taste, there is no going back!

As to "big/obsessed fans" I remember someone on this list, a few
years ago, complaining about posting photographs of UFO actors. I
won't make any name, but he said that seeing how this actor/actress
grew old, made him sad. And we know that some Italian "fans" think
more or less the same: quite interested in die cast models, but much
less in talking with the persons who made UFO. I guess, this is why
Paolo M. is so sensitive about this issue.

Anyway, the real answer comes from UFO actors themselves. We managed
to invite a few "difficult" ones ("difficult" in the sense that they
do not like conventions that much, because of obsessed/obsessive
fans). And it happened just because Ed Bishop and Mike Billington
themselves guaranteed that we are very dedicated, but not obsessed.

Well..... there are exceptions! I remember Wanda Ventham staring at
me and saying "HELP!" just with her lips, because a weirdo was trying
to convince her that we are all manipulated by numbers printed on
food packages :-)

Cheers (and welcome to Enzo)
PB


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